Three weeks ago, our kids made a banner—a huge banner of sparkle and light and golden threads. The light of Christ shinning in the darkness. They made the banner for you and me. Tonight, our kids greeted us with pieces of that banner. Tokens of Christ’s light.

Today the Church celebrates the Great Feast of Epiphany. It’s one of the oldest celebrations in the church calendar—older even than Christmas! Long before there were Nativity sets or Christmas trees or Midnight mass on Christmas Eve or Santa or St. Nick or even presents under the tree, there were celebrations marking Epiphany—the shining and showing of Christ’s light in the world—a light so bright that it demands not one day or twelve days of Christmas but an entire church season; a light so bright that it shines through all of us and all who have ever followed Christ.

Think of it—each of us and those wise ones too—beacons and bearers of that light.

Think of it–God’s light shining in each of us in our own particular and sometimes peculiar way. George’s and Meranda’s and Shakei’s light. Crystal’s and Jeremy’s and Silas’s light. Lisa’s light and Pat’s and Shawntelle’s too. Will’s and Terese’s, Zoe’s and Mary Lou’s and Elena’s too. Christy’s and Crystal’s shining lights. Susanna’s, Scott’s, Tim’s, David’s and Dennis’s. Yours and mine and all of our lights—like those panels on the ball they drop on New Year’s Eve—each brilliant and beautiful and unique.

Perhaps you know the song, “This Little Light of Mine.” It starts like this:

This little light of mine

I’m gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine.

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Each of us—each and every one of us and those wise ones of old as well—has a light to shine. Like the song implies we have to decide to let it shine.

Won’t let Satan blow it out,

I’m gonna let it shine.

Won’t let Satan blow it out,

I’m gonna let it shine.

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Sometimes we have to be really determined to let our light shine. There are folks and forces that want to snuff it out.